


What Arthur knew

by cominupforair



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: 5+1 Things, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, First Kiss, Gwaine Being Gwaine, Jealous Arthur, Jealousy, Kissing, M/M, Pining Arthur
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-13
Updated: 2019-01-13
Packaged: 2019-10-09 09:25:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,995
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17404319
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cominupforair/pseuds/cominupforair
Summary: Five things Arthur knew about himself and one thing he didn't.





	What Arthur knew

**Author's Note:**

> AKA watch me overusing brackets (sorry, I can't help it) and give it a go to the 5+1 Things trope, you know how this goes.
> 
> Thanks [arthur_pendragon](https://archiveofourown.org/users/arthur_pendragon) for hosting this amazing fest, I love it. 
> 
> This fic is completely unbetaed, but I had a lot of fun writing it, so yeah, I hope you'll enjoy it too :)

What Arthur knew about himself was that he never got drunk.

When his company (the Camelot & co) signed an important deal his team organised a pub night, but he just never got drunk.

He always attended because he enjoyed watching his employees (ok, _friends_ , Arthur, you can say friends, you’re not your father) relax after a never-ending string of stressful days and get pleasantly tipsy.

He could just relax on the (frankly filthy, if not a little sticky) leather sofa of the pub and forget he was the boss. Just for one night. Lance stopped being a saint for a couple of hours, Elyan complained loudly about his sister, Gwaine hit on all the girls and boys (and well, _anything_ that breathed), Leon and Percival mocked Arthur for his haircut à la Zac Efron (High School Musical era, obviously), Merlin drank from a margarita glass bigger than him, eyes shiny and a little bit mischievous.

And Merlin was licking the sugar off the rim of his margarita. And he was staring at him.

And it must have been his imagination or the alcohol (he hadn’t drunk any) because Arthur was sure that Merlin’s gaze was anything but innocent. Nobody would lick at a sugar-coated rim like _that_.

Flashes of the way Merlin’s Adam’s apple had bobbed when he’d downed the vodka shot Gwaine had bought him were still too fresh in his mind.

And if that already was one of the filthiest things Arthur had ever seen, Merlin lapping the sugar like he was licking precome off his dic- stop it Arthur, dammit, _dammit_.

The problem was that Merlin lapping the sugar looked like something out of a porn video and his blood was going were it wasn’t supposed to go. Great, he was getting a hard on in a pub, thank you very much.

At least he was enjoying the view, letting his gaze linger on those sharp cheekbones and on Merlin’s mouth. Its shape and those sinful plump lips, shiny from the mixture of alcohol and sugar he’d drunk, Arthur would’ve given anything just to _taste_ them.

And that’s exactly when Gwaine slid into the seat next to Merlin, leaning closer than he should have and interrupting Merlin’s little game.

Arthur wasn’t prepared to see Gwaine’s hand on Merlin's waist and he definitely hadn’t anticipated how miserable that’d made him feel.

It’s not like he owned Merlin, they weren’t together, _hell_ , he didn’t even think Merlin had the foggiest about Arthur’s – oh gods, he was finally admitting it -- feelings for him. Merlin probably just thought that Arthur was an arse because, well, because Arthur’s way of showing interest was some sort of glorified pigtail-tugging, like children really.

He knew he should’ve stopped staring and let Merlin flirt with Gwaine. But when he saw Gwaine, _bloody_ Gwaine, tucking one of Merlin’s stray locks behind his ear, he felt like one of the arteries in his head was about to pop.

So, Arthur never got drunk, which didn’t really explain why Leon had placed seven shots in front of him.

Seven like the millions they’d earned with the contract he’d just signed, seven like the members of his team, seven like the times Gwaine had touched Merlin since they’d arrived at the pub.

_Fuck_.

 

 

A couple of hours later Arthur was downright drunk, the moping brooding kind of drunk who lost count of the pints he’d downed. For god’s sake, he hadn’t done that since he was in uni and his friends almost got alcohol poisoned every other week.

Merlin was still smiling haplessly at Gwaine who was gravitating the more and more towards him. Arthur just wanted to break the glass he was holding, possibly on Gwaine’s head. And Gwaine must have sensed his homicidal stare because he glanced at him, one corner of his mouth turned upwards, mocking. Without breaking eye contact he leaned in closer to whisper something in Merlin’s ear and Arthur’s grip on the glass tightened when he saw Merlin blushing ferociously.

Arthur just took another large gulp of his drink, trying to swallow his jealousy along with it as he saw Merlin and Gwaine leaving the party together.

 

 

\---

 

 

What Arthur knew about himself was that he. was. not. jealous.

Therefore, Gwaine flirting with Merlin didn’t make him jealous, it simply made him wish he was an homicidal maniac.

Or gave him the opportunity of unleashing his fervid imagination, thinking about thousands different ways in which he could hurt Gwaine. It was also beneficial for his blood pressure, if the fact that his face was turning redder than Merlin’s red t-shirt was any indication.

If then Gwaine gripped the previously mentioned red t-shirt as he wrapped his arm around Merlin’s waist, well, then that t-shirt was just like the red cloak held by toreros during the Spanish corrida and he was the bull. An extremely angry one.

“Arthur are you listening to me?” Gaius’ voice interrupted his thoughts. Arthur just shrugged and nodded, hoping the old man would continue with the latest market analysis and let him pretend he wasn’t still hungover from the night before.

“This morning the stock market indices are rising, but they will probably fall sharply in the next-“ blah blah blah, the usual. He probably should’ve stopped thinking about the upcoming death of Gwaine and focus more on Gaius. The old man deserved better, simply because he had put up with him since he was little more than a toddler and Uther had mistaken him for a babysitter.

Get a grip, Arthur, get a grip.

Ok, so, critical thinking.

He was Arthur Pendragon, CEO of Camelot & co at just 31 years, what did he need?

He needed to get laid.

How could he do so?

By exploiting his “Sexiest CEO of the year” award to pull a model.

Possibly dressed in red.

In the meantime, Gaius was still speaking, “ - we should inform Agravaine, he needs to invest his money somewhere else, get him a contract with- ”

Agravaine? That disgusting old man with a filthy toupee and such an appalling halitosis it could have been patented as a weapon of mass destruction? Oh, brilliant!

He interrupted the old man, “Thank you, Gaius! I don’t know where I’d be without your help,” hastily shook his hand and dismissed him.

As soon as the door closed behind Gaius’ back, Arthur dialled Vivian’s number.

 

 

Thirty minutes later, a blonde girl wearing high heels and a red minidress was waiting for him in the doorway. Arthur fixed his tie and made his way towards the lift where Vivian caught up with him and possessively wrapped herself around his body. He smiled.

He was just about to call the lift when he turned his head, made sure Merlin was looking at him (did he look disappointed? Please, please, please) and said loudly, “Merlin, your appointment with Agravaine is at 6.”

Merlin went from being mildly gloomy (yes) to unbelieving to downright pissed in one second flat. It was the desired effect, so Arthur continued, “and I want the new contract tomorrow morning on my desk”

Now Merlin’s jaw was slacked. “But it will take me at least 10 hours!”

“Exactly!” Arthur flashed him the biggest smile and turned towards Vivian who was waiting for him in the lift.

Glorified pigtail-pulling, really.

 

 

\---

 

 

What Arthur knew about himself what that he was handsome (he even had an award testing that for posterity) and he never failed to get laid.

It’s not like women (and men alike, he was bi even though those bloody tabloids seemed to forget it) were dying to climb him like a tree, but yes, women were usually dying to climb him like a tree.

And so was Vivian.

He didn’t even know why he bothered buying her dinner in the new fancy Japanese restaurant when he knew she would put out anyway, if the suggestive way she was crossing her legs was any indication. And the way she was leaning towards him. And the way she was eating sushi, how does one even learn how to eat sushi seductively? Gods, that was disgusting. But yes, Vivian was definitely into him.

The problem was that he couldn’t care less.

Just a couple of months ago Arthur wouldn’t have wasted a minute, by now he would’ve already paid the bill leaving a generous tip- or, well, to be honest he would’ve simply thrown money on the table without even looking at the bill just to get out of the restaurant and get into Vivian’s knickers as quickly as possible.

But now, now he just didn’t care.

He kept thinking that Merlin’s lips were prettier than Vivian’s. And that Merlin was a thousand times better at licking sugar seductively than Vivian was at eating sushi (again, that was a fairly disturbing thought). He kept thinking of Merlin who brought him a cup of liquorice tea when he was too stressed but too proud to admit it out loud. Merlin who complained to no end about his inability to look after himself, but kept on bringing him lunch when he forgot to eat. Merlin who listened to dreadful 80s music, Merlin who smelled of cheap lavender shampoo and was simply ecstatic when Arthur had bought him a huge lavender plant for Christmas, Merlin who smiled like a loon if Arthur complimented his work and Merlin who shouted at him when he behaved like a prat which was, well, almost a daily occurrence.

That’s why he knew he was well and truly fucked.

 

 

\---

 

 

What Arthur knew about himself was that he wasn’t a morning person.

He simply could not wake up before 10 am. Nobody even dared dragging him out of bed. Nobody but George who was quite handsomely paid to do so (his salary included weekly therapist appointments and compensation for material and non-material damages caused by Arthur’s morning fits).

That didn’t explain why, when he was forced to open his eyes by a loud banging noise, he found himself staring into Merlin’s blue irises.

Merlin who, at 7 am (stress on the fact that he was _never_ awake at 7 am unless his house was on fire – it had happened once, Morgana’s fault obviously – anyway, what was he saying? Oh yes, Merlin who at 7 am) was wearing a fitted white shirt and black rimmed glasses. And Arthur was gaping like a fish, so caught in that R-rated morning vision that he only belatedly realised he was stark naked under the sheets.

Priorities, he should have revised his priorities.

A deep breath.

“Merlin what the hell are you doing here?”, he spat out. Well, that could’ve been worse, Merlin was used to his foul behaviour anyway.

“Agravaine’s contract, _just_ finished.”

The way Merlin had punctuated his words, stressing that “just” with not-so-veiled irritation, made Arthur take in his face, namely the dark circles around his eyes. He hadn’t slept.

“I seem to recollect telling you that I wanted that contract in the morning and on my desk,” he rebutted before his sense of guilt could take over. Oh god he was a prat.

“It’s 7 am, the sun is shining and, last time I checked, you spend more time in your bedroom than in your office so I must have mistaken your bed for your desk, I’m so sorry, I’m sure that if I wasn’t your only employee with a double PhD and a decent IQ I would’ve already been fired!” Merlin snapped back, slamming the papers on the pillow next to him. Arthur really wanted to hit him, but he was inches from Merlin’s mouth and he also wanted to lean forward and kiss that stupid smug grin off his face. It was unfair.

“For fuck’s sake Merlin, shut your mouth before I forget you’re overqualified and I sack you on the spot,” Arthur sighed as he distractedly smoothed the line between his brows with his right hand, “and, for the record, you’re not allowed to get in my house, let alone in my bedroom, it’s called privacy-“

“Oh, yes, you’re right, I could’ve found, who, Sophia? What was the name of the last top model you pulled?” he didn’t give Arthur the time to answer before he continued, “So what? I could have found Sophia naked in your bed? I’m so disappointed the other side of your bed is empty, should I deduce that she was not satisfied with your performance?”

Merlin was red-faced, sharp-tongued and sassy and leaning too close to him and Arthur really couldn’t help himself when he blurted out, “Would you like to try first-hand, Merlin? I assure you, nobody ever complained about my _performance._ ”

Arthur realised what he’d said when it was already too late and Merlin was staring at him wide-eyed.

He was about to excuse himself for his morning temper (which would’ve been a first), but surprisingly Merlin leaned even closer, his face so close to his that he could effortlessly count the freckles on the bridge of his nose.

“You know, I’m quite offended that Sophia got to see your new office before me.”

 

 

\---

 

 

What Arthur knew about himself was that he wasn’t easily surprised, but yes, surprised was a good adjective to describe how he felt when Merlin’s lips crushed with his.

Everything had gone oddly quiet in his brain. Merlin was kissing him, for fuck’s sake, Merlin was kissing him. His lips were insistent and eager, impossibly soft and rough at the same time. He had never thought that their first kiss would be an angry kiss, but he was okay with what life was throwing at him. Arthur was already intoxicated. He couldn’t wrap his head around the fact that the lips latched to his were actually Merlin’s.

When Arthur came up for air, Merlin was staring at him, lips just a few inches from his, eyes wide open, almost shocked by what he’d just done.

Arthur knew that Merlin was about to run away, say something stupid like “sorry” and pretend nothing had ever happened. He could read that much in Merlin’s panicked eyes. He felt some sort of desperation building higher. It couldn’t be over already, so Arthur let out a long low noise, cupped Merlin’s jaw and pulled him in close, closer, until every inch of his skin was pressed against his and they fit together perfectly. He bit Merlin’s lips ferociously and tugged and shoved until he got the angle just right. He didn’t want Merlin to regret this. He wanted him like he’d never wanted anything before. He wanted to breathe him, drink him, eat him, he wanted his body on top of his, so if Merlin wanted a filthy angry kiss, he was going to get the best filthy angry kiss of his life.

He gripped Merlin’s wrists and flipped their positions. Merlin was under him now, caged between his legs, lips swollen and staring at him fiercely, his eyes clouded with raw desire. Arthur was finally allowed to kiss him, so he did. Again, and again. He pried Merlin’s lips open with his tongue and ravaged his mouth desperately, like his life depended on it. Kissing and biting and licking. Harder, deeper, urgent, until Merlin was moaning in his ear and it all felt so _right_.

“Vivian,” Arthur grunted low as he tried to catch his breath between the kisses.

“Vivian what?” but Merlin didn’t have the time to scowl before Arthur bit his lower lip again.

“It was Vivian, not Sophia.”

Merlin flinched and broke apart from his mouth, but Arthur was holding his jaw between his hands. Christ, why couldn’t he just shut up?!

“Nothing happened with Vivian, Merlin,” he said hurriedly, trying to understand why he always had to say the wrong thing. He knew that this wasn’t going to be enough, he had to say something else, he had to find the right words. He inhaled slowly. “Nothing happened between Vivian and I, I had someone else in mind, I’ve been having the same person in mind for a few months now.”

He paused and then insisted, eyes downcast because he was a fucking coward, “I’ve been having _you_ in mind for a few months now.”

He smiled, softly, not daring to glance at Merlin and when Merlin didn’t answer and the silence stretched Arthur felt himself blushing. He had been so sure that things would work themselves out and that his feelings weren’t totally unrequited. He had been stupid. He wished he could just disappear out of thin air, vanish, but then he felt fingers gently brushing his jaw and when he dared looking at Merlin, Merlin was beaming.

“You’re a prat, I don’t even know why I put up with you” and with that Merlin kissed him again. Softly this time, all the anger of the previous kiss vanished with a dimpled smile.

 

 

\---

 

 

What Arthur didn’t know about himself was that one day he’d have the privilege of kissing someone he loved whenever he felt like it.

He was carding his fingers through Merlin’s locks because, well, because he’d wanted to do so for months. “What did Gwaine tell you the other night?”

Merlin’s answer was nothing but a somehow questioning “umhpf?” and Arthur, being a dick, couldn’t help but rebut with a “eloquent as ever Merlin”.

Merlin swatted Arthur’s hand in retaliation and Arthur smirked a bit, before explaining what he meant. “Two days ago, at the pub, Gwaine whispered something in your ear and then you left together. From the way you’d blushed I’d assumed he’d got his way with you, but you said that nothing happened so, what did Gwaine tell you?”

Merlin blinked, thought about it for a second and then smiled.

“Get a room”

“What?”

“That’s what Gwaine said, he said - _get a room_ \- and something like - _watching you and Arthur eye fucking is giving_ me _blue balls_!”

Merlin’s eyes were crinkled, the sweet smile quickly morphing into a smug grin and Arthur kissed him again because now, now he could.

**Author's Note:**

> Kudos, comments, feedback, people correcting my mistakes all loved and appreciated <3


End file.
